Andrew Russell News

'Jersey Boys,' with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, choreography by Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Des McAnuff, will run at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre beginning May 16 for an opening night on May 18. Performances will continue through June 24, 2017. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the touring cast in action below!

As Intiman Theatre grows its staff, the organization announces a new Executive Director position to work alongside other leadership, including the new Co-Curator position. Intiman is thrilled to announce that Phillip Chavira will be filling this new role.

Spanning 28 theater companies and 59 productions, from the largest and most prominent to small, humble and innovative, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor as much professional theater as we reviewers can cram into our year.

The 'large theater' productions of ACT Theatre's The Royale and The 5th Avenue Theatre's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying take top honors and the 'small theater' productions of ArtsWest's Death of a Salesman and Washington Ensemble Theatre's The Things Are Against Us take top honors - for most category wins!?

Spanning 28 theater companies and 59 productions, from the largest and most prominent to small, humble and innovative, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor as much professional theater as we reviewers can cram into our year.

I thought, 'Big Whoop'. I never had any desire to see this show. First, it's Frankie Valli, how tough could his life really be, big star, where's the conflict? Secondly, and more importantly, I know this music. I certainly did not want to see it performed in the classical musical theater operatic style. I could be in for a very long night.

Returning to New Orleans this week is the musical that made the world fall in love with the Four Seasons all over again, JERSEY BOYS. First a superstar boy group from Jersey, then a hit musical, next a movie, and now we're getting to see the show once again on tour! Whether you realize it or not you know the music, so come see the story behind the music where all the "magic" happened.

Marin Theatre Company proudly announces Keri Kellerman will be joining the organization in January 2017 as its new Managing Director. The organization is thrilled to have a proven executive joining its ranks whose work has focused on strong financial management, deep developmental growth and building the future for American playwrights. Ms. Kellerman is equally ecstatic:

I've seen Jersey Boys three times now, and there's something about it that keeps me working my way back to it.

The National Tour of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, welcomed Cory Jeacoma (Bob Gaudio) on September 15 in Syracuse, NY. He joins a company that includes Matthew Dailey (Tommy DeVito), Aaron De Jesus (Frankie Valli) and Keith Hines (Nick Massi) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella. JERSEY BOYS will return to the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, TN October 25-30.

Some of Seattle's most talented actors will be hard at work in collaboration with writers from around the country in the rehearsal halls of The 5th Avenue Theatre this month as the company's NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals launches its three week intensive development cycle this weekend.

Tickets will go on sale Today, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. for the returning New Orleans engagement of the Tony®, Grammy® and Oliver Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Presented by the New Orleans Theatre Association, JERSEY BOYS will make its Saenger Theatre debut Dec. 13 - 18, 2016, as a show option of the East Jefferson General Hospital Broadway in New Orleans 2016 - 2017 season.

The National Tour of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, welcomed Cory Jeacoma (Bob Gaudio) on September 15 in Syracuse, NY. He joins a company that includes Matthew Dailey (Tommy DeVito), Aaron De Jesus (Frankie Valli) and Keith Hines (Nick Massi) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella. JERSEY BOYS will return to the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, TN October 25-30.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. for the returning New Orleans engagement of the Tony®, Grammy® and Oliver Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Presented by the New Orleans Theatre Association, JERSEY BOYS will make its Saenger Theatre debut Dec. 13 - 18, 2016, as a show option of the East Jefferson General Hospital Broadway in New Orleans 2016 - 2017 season.

The National Tour of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will welcome Cory Jeacoma (Bob Gaudio) beginning September 15 in Syracuse, NY. He will join a company that includes Matthew Dailey (Tommy DeVito), Aaron De Jesus(Frankie Valli) and Keith Hines (Nick Massi) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is proud to present the second annual NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals. The company's rehearsal halls will be brimming with activity this fall as new musicals take shape in readings and intensives, brought to life by local and Broadway talents.

 A group of former Chicago theatre artists have formed a new theatre company in Los Angeles dedicated to diversity and incusion. TheGrey Ensemble Theatre is comitted to presenting new, contemporary, and classic stories that represent the multicultural world we live in.Grey Ensemble Theatre launches its first production with the world premiere of f**k MY LIFE by Broadway World Award nominated playwright and Artistic Director Danny Bernardo (Mahal, Bailiwick Chicago) and directed by Carmen Aiello.

There's no doubt that Jeanine Tesori's music in the musical "Violet", currently playing at ArtsWest, is stirring and powerful but it's the lyrics and book by Brian Crawley that truly pack the punch in the show. But of course they would as the show is rife with hot button topics of that era as well as our own. And while the ensemble manages some of the tightest and most technically proficient performances I've seen I didn't always get from them the importance or danger associated with the stakes of those issues and so didn't always feel the emotional connection to the story.

Violet tells the story of a disfigured young woman who dreams of becoming beautiful. After seeing a faith-healing minister on TV, she embarks on a bus trip across the American south in hopes of finding the minister and healing her face. Along the way, she learns the true meaning of beauty, courage and love.Violet is a deeply stirring and inspiring musical that leaves audiences with what the Chicago Tribune calls 'an uncommon emotional intensity of the kind that stays with you for years.'

Award-winning director and University of Washington School of Drama professor Valerie Curtis-Newton will serve as co-curator of the 2016 Intiman Theatre Festival, which will be devoted to great American playwrights who are also inter-generational black female writers.